Adjustable fastening devices



Aug. 14, 1956 G. s. HAW IE ADJUSTABLE FASTENING DEVICES Filed NOV. 8,1951 INVENTOR.

GABRIEL S. HAWIE.

ATTORNEYS.

pawl-02mm United States Patent ADJUSTABLE FASTENING DEVICES Gabriel S.Hawie, Bridgeport, Conn., assignor to International Latex Corporation,Dover, Del., a corporation of Delaware Application November 8, 1951,Serial .No. 255,452

'3 Claims. '(Cl. 24-245) This invention relates to adjustable andreadily disengageable fastening devices. The invention is primarilyintended for and serves a particularly useful purpose in conjunctionwith garments having one or more relatively thin, rubber latex or thelike straps, such for example as those used to support hose.

While highly resilient or readily stretchable garters are usuallydesired for girdles and the like wearing apparel, it is particularlydesirable that garters of this type be utilized in connection withgirdles made from relatively thin rubber latex and provided withdepending garter tabs or straps of the same material, examples ofgirdles of the latter type being disclosed in U. S.

Patent No. 2,360,736. When such highly resilient garters, having stretchcharacteristics comparable to those of the material from which rubberlatex girdles are made, have been employed in the past, .it has been'difiicult to provide means for readily adjusting :the garter lengthwhich at the same time maintains the adjusted length during use of thegarter and which is readily removable when not in use.

For example, with certain buckle arrangements heretofore known, a gartercomprising an adjustable length strap made of relatively thin rubberlatex or the like sheet material would not maintain its desired adjustedlength under repeated intermittent stress or stretch because such highlyelastic and readily stretchable strap material is greatly reduced in itscross-sectional dimensions when elongated under stress. In many arrangements heretofore proposed for adjustable devices, this reduction incross-sectional dimensions caused slipping of the strap with respect tothe buckle or the like holding means. A problem encountered in solvingthis 'difiiculty is that any positive clamping of the rubber strap by amember having a sharp edge or any piercing 'of the same by a prong isdetrimental 'to the strap itself, causing it to break or tear.

-As described .in the copending application of Alfred Batzdorfi,Serial-No. 228,217, filed May 25, 1951, and entitled AdjustableFastening Devices, the abovementioned difiiculties may be overcome byproviding a buckle which has a pivotally and slidably mounted wedgingmember preferably in the form of a bail which wedges the suspending orsuspended strap between the wedging member and a stop provided on thebody of the buckle when the strap is pulled. The present invention is inthe nature of an improvement of the adjustable fastening devices setforth in the above-mentioned copending application.

The adjustable fastening devices of the present invention is morecompact, can be manufactured readily with less intricatebuckle-manufacturing machines and the parts of the adjustable fasteningdevices of the present invention may be simply and economicallymanufactured and assembled. In addition, because of the manner in whichthe fastening means is attached .to the remainder of the fasteningdevice of my invention, the

2,758,351 Patented Aug. 14, 1956 ice 2 tastening device is more flexibleand hence is more comtortable for the wearer.

Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide adjustablefastening devices which overcome the above-mentioned difficulties andwhich are simple and economical to manufacture and assemble.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will more fully appearfrom the following detailed description setting forth the manner inwhich I now "prefer to practice the invention and from the accompanyingdrawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation view of an adjustable garter constructed inaccordance with my invention;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the garter shown in Fig. 1;

Figs. 3 and 4 are top and bottom views, respectively, of the adjustablebuckle employed in connection with the garter shown in Figs. 1 and 2;

Fig. 5 is a side elevation, cross-sectional view of the garter shown inFigs. 1 and 2 and taken along the line 5-5 indicatedin Fig. 2;

Fig. 6 is an exploded perspective view of two of the members (formingpart of the buckle shown in Figs. 1-5;

Fig. 7 is a perspective view of a further member form ing part of thebuckle-shown in Figs. 1-5;

Fig. '8 is an end view of the buckle member shown in the lower portionof Fig. 6; and

Fig. 9 :is an enlarged, cross-sectional, end elevation view of thegarter shown in 'Figs. .1, 2 and 5 and taken along the lines 9-9indicated .in Figs. .1 and 5.

Referring to Figs. 1- 8 of the drawings, the preferred embodiments ofthe adjustable garter and adjustable "buckle of .my invention comprise ahat, relatively thin member .1 which may be formed from sheet metal andwhich has a .pair of t-spaced side bars 2 and 3 connected together by a.pair of spaced, substantially parallel cross bars '4 and 5, thecrossbar 5 serving as a stop as will be described hereinafter. Themember .1 preferably also includes a third cross bar 6 which has itsupper face below the upper :faces of the side bars 2 and 3., as is :best:shown in Figs. 5, 6 and 8. The cross bar 6 is provided forstrengthening purposes and assists in preventing bowing 'of an elasticstrap to which the buckle may be attached as the tension on the strap isrelieved. Such bowing is undesirable because of the slipping it maycause, but if the strap is confined, such as by the wearers body, thecross bar 6 may, if desired, be omitted.

The cross bar 4 may be a continuous piece as shown in the drawings butit may also be separated along the length thereof, i. e., in the middleor to one side of lugs 7 and 8,, .so as to form. two arms which extendinwardly from the 'side bars 2 and 3. Preferably, :however, the crossbar 4 is continuous along its length so as toprovide a more-rigidstructure.

The ,pair of spaced lugs 7 and 8 are mounted on the cross bar 4 for thepurpose of pivotally and slidably receiving a wedging member or :bail 9.The bail 9 may be formed from a single piece of wire bent to the shapeindicated in the drawings or it may be formed in any other desiredmanner. The bail 9 has a cross bar 14 and a pivot portion provided bythe wire end portions 10 and 11 which together form a cross bar betweenthe pair of spaced side bars 12 :and 13. The side bars 12 and 13 haveoutwardly extending portions adjacent the cross bar '14, these portionsbeing adapted to engage the upper surfaces of the side bars 2 and 3 forpurposes hereinafter described.

When the bail 9 is assembled with the member .1, the pivot portions 10and 11 .of the bail 9 are "at least partly surrounded by a securingmeans :15 having a tubular portion comprising the .bentstrips 16 and-17. The securing means 15 also has an aperture .l'gtherein forreceiving a garter tab 19, and the tubular portion has an aperture 20therein which permits the lugs 7 and 8 to extend therethrongh and whichpermits rotational movement of the member 1 with respect to the securingmeans 15. The securing means 15 also has a pair of cars 21 and 22' whichengage fastening means 23, and in conjunction with the tubular portionthe ears 21 and 22 piyotally secure the fastening means 23 to the member1 and the wedging member or bail 9.

The garter shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 5 includes the garter tab 19 having abutton 24 at one end thereof and a bead 25 at the other end thereof. Thebutton 2% cooperates in the usual manner with the aperture 26 in thefastening means 23 to receive and hold the end of a stocking, forexample.

The garter preferably includes a strap designated generally by thenumeral 27 which is, for example, made of rubber latex or the likehighly elastic sheet material having a thickness of the order of .025 ofan inch and which may be provided as an integral part of a girdle of thetype referred to above. The strap 27 is looped over the cross bar 14 ofthe bail 9 and has an end portion 28 which overlies a load-carryingportion 29. Both portions 28 and 29 pass underneath the cross bar 5, theupper surface of the portion 23 preferably being in contact with theunder side of the cross bar 5 and the upper portion 28 being wedgedbetween the cross bar 14 and the cross bar 5 when the load-carryingportion 29 is under tension.

The inner face of the lug 7, the inner face being the one which facesinwardlyv of the member 1 and which faces the lug 8, is spaced from theinner or nearest side of the cross bar 5 a distance such that when thebail 9 is received between the lugs 7 and 8 the bail 9 may be pivotedfrom a horizontal position, such as the position shown in Figs. 1 and5,- to a vertical position; Thus, the distance between the inner face ofthe lug 7 and the inner side of the cross bar 5 may be at least equal tothe distance between the outer sides of the cross bar formed by arms 10,11 and cross bar 14 of the bail 9. The width of the cross bar 4preferably is greater than the width of the arms 10 and 11 of the bail9, and the spacing between the inner face of the lug 7 and the face ofthe lug 8 which faces the lug 7 is greater than the width of the arms 10and 11. Such a spacing of the faces of the lugs 7 and 8 is provided sothat the bail 9 may slide or be permitted a certain degree of movementaway from and toward the cross bar 5, as the bail 9 is moved by thestrap 27 toward the cross bar 5 so as to wedge the portion 28 of thestrap 27 between the cross bar 14 of the bail 9 and the cross bar 5 ofthe member I.

The side bars 12 and 13 of the bail 9 are provided with outwardlyextending portions which engage with the upper surfaces of the side bars2 and 3 so as to maintain the bail 9 in such a position that the portion28 of the strap 27 is wedged between the cross bar 14 and the cross bar5. Thus, as the portion 29 of the strap is pulled, the bail 9 is limitedin its rotation by the upper surfaces of the side bars 2 and 3 and thenmoves toward the cross bar 5 so that the portion 28 is wedged betweenthe cross bars 5 and 14 even though the direction in which the portion29 is pulled is not parallel with the upper surfaces of the side bars 2and 3.

The tubular portion comprising strips 16, 17 of the securing means 15has a bore which is greater than the width of the arms 10 and 11 so thatwhen the fastening means 23 is pulled in one direction by a garment andthe bail 9 is pulled in the opposite direction by the strap 27, the bail9 may slide within the tubular portion toward the cross bar 5. Thestrips 16, 17 which form the tubular portion may be bent completelyaround the arms 1%) and 11, the cross bar 4 and the end bar 30 of thefastening means 23 or it may be bent around the arms 10 and 11 and thecross bar 4 and only partly around the end bar 30, as is shown moreclearly in Figs. 1 and 5. In this specification and appended claims, theword tubular is intended to include not only a completely closed cylin-H drical tube but also tubes of other cross sections and sibility oftearing the strap during use or adjustment.

These beads may also aid in preventing the buckle from slipping withrespect to the strap 27.

As indicated above, the spacing of the lugs 7 and 8 with respect to thecross bar 5 is related to the length of the bail 9 from the outside ofthe arms 10 and 11 to the outside of the cross bar 14 in such a mannerthat the bail 9 may be rotated so as to loosen the strap 27 and so thatthe cross bar 14 may wedge the portion 28 of the strap 27 between thecross bar 14 and the cross bar 5. Thus, the distance between the outsideof the arms 10 and 11 and the outside of the cross bar 14 may be nogreater than the distance between the inner face of the lug 7 and theinner side of the cross bar 5, and preferably the former distance is notless than the distance of the inner face of the lug 7 from the innerside of the cross bar 5 less the thickness of the strap 27 In addition,when the bail 9 is in the position shown in Figs. 1 and 5 the spacingbetween the uppermost portion of the cross bar 14 and the lower face ofthe cross bar 5 should be less than the thickness of the strap 27. Thus,the lower face of the cross bar 5 may be raised above the upper surfaceof the side bars 2 and'3 which engage the bail 9 a distance no greaterthan the. distance between. the surface .of the bail 9 which engages theupper surfaces of the side bars 2 and 3 and the upper surface of thecross bar 14 when the bail 9 is in a horizontal position, as seeninFigs. l and 5, plus a portion of the thickness of the strap 27, andpreferably thedistance between the lower face of the cross bar 5 andsaid upper surfaces of said side bars 2 and 3 is approximately equal tothe thickness of the crossbar 14 assuming that substantially all partsofthe bail 9 lie in a single plane, i. e., as shown in the drawings.

It is to be understood that the. invention is not limited to bucklescombined with means for attachment to hose, such as the button 24 andcooperating loop provided by the member 23 (Fig. 2). For example, thehose fastening means 23, 24 and 25 could be replaced by a simple loopfor receiving a strap to be secured to the buckle, or in the alternativethe hose fastening means could be omitted and a strap could be secureddirectly to the member 15 (Fig. 7) by passing it through the opening 18.

Having thus described my invention with particularity, with reference tothe preferred embodiment of the same, and having referred to certainmodifications thereof, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art,after understanding my invention, that other changes andrnodificationsmay be made therein without departing from the spirit or scope of myinvention, and it is intended in the appended claims to cover suchchanges and modifications as are within the scope of the invention.

What I claim is:

1. In a stocking support comprising a stocking-securing device adaptedfor use with a thin sheet-like rubber garter strap, the combinationtherewith of first and second members and a bail having a cross barsmoothly curved in cross section and adapted to engage, without cutting,a loop of said strap, said first member comprising side bars and upperand lower strap-engaging cross bars fixedly spaced to provide a narrowelongated throat hav-' ing a width approximately equal to the thicknessof said cross bar of the bail, a positioning cross bar spaced asubstantial distance from said strap-engaging cross bars by a pair ofside bars, said positioning cross bar and said side bars lying in asingle plane spaced below said upper cross bar, and upstanding lugspositioned on said positioning cross bar and bounding a slot parallel tosaid strap-engaging cross bars; said bail also comprising a pivotingcross bar positioned in said slot and side portions extending laterallybeyond the side bars of the first member and fixedly spacing the crossbars of the bail at a distance such that, when said bail is rotated to aposition where its side portions engage the side bars of the firstmember, the far side of the loop engaging bar is contiguous to the nearside of the lower surface of the upper strap engaging cross bar of thefirst member; and said second member comprising means for securing saidstocking-securing device thereto and a portion bent into a tubeencompassing both the pivoting cross bar of the bail and the positioningcross bar of the first member, said tube being apertured for freerotation of said lugs so that said stocking-securing device can rotateindependently of the position of said bail.

2. In a stocking support comprising a thin, sheet-like rubber garterstrap and a stocking-securing device, the combination therewith of firstand second members and a wire bail having a cross bar engaging a loop ofsaid strap, said first member comprising side bars and a pair ofstrap-engaging cross bars fixedly spaced to provide a narrow elongatedthroat having a width approximately equal to the thickness of said crossbar of the bail, a positioning cross bar fixedly spaced a substantialdistance from said strap-engaging cross bars by side portions, andupstanding lugs positioned on said positioning cross bar and bounding aslot parallel to said strap-engaging cross bars; said wire bail alsocomprising a piv oting cross bar pivoted in said slot and side portionsfixedly spacing the cross bars of the bail and extending laterally sothat the loop of the strap around said loop engaging cross bar isclamped in said throat with said side portions of the bail engaged bythe side portions of said first member when said strap is subjected totension; and said second member comprising means for securing saidstocking-securing device thereto and a portion bent into a tubeencompassing both the pivoting cross bar of the bail and the positioningcross bar of the first member, said tube being apertured for freerotation of said lugs so that said stocking-securing device can rotateindependently of the position of said bail.

3. In a stocking support comprising a stocking-securing device adaptedfor use with a thin sheet-like rubber garter strap, the combinationtherewith of first and second members and a bail having a cross barsmoothly curved in cross section and adapted to engage, without cutting,a loop of said strap, said first member comprising a pair of upper andlower strap-engaging cross bars fixedly spaced to provide a narrowelongated throat having a width approximately equal to the thickness ofsaid cross bar, said upper cross bar having a lower surface that isconcave with respect to the axis of rotation of said bail, a positioningcross bar spaced a substantial distance from said strap-engagingcrossbars by a pair of side bars, said positioning cross bar and saidside bars lying in a single plane spaced below said upper cross bar, andupstanding lugs positioned on said positioning cross bar and bounding aslot parallel to said strapengaging cross bars; said bail alsocomprising a pivoting cross bar positioned in said slot and sideportions spacing the cross bars of the bail at a distance such that thefar side of said loop engaging cross bar is rotatable to a positioncontiguous to the near side of the lower surface of said upperstrap-engaging cross bar; and said second member comprising means forsecuring said stocking-securing device thereto and a tubular portionencompassing both the pivoting cross bar of the bail and the positioningcross bar first member and apertured for free rotation of said lugs sothat said stocking-securing device can rotate independently of theposition of said bail.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 79,626Bannister July 7, 1868 252,092 Fluck Jan. 10, 1882 409,779 Ferris Aug.27, 1889 565,868 Washburne Aug. 11, 1896 566,227 Rosenkranz Aug. 18,1896 724,585 Kerngood Apr. 7, 1903 724,586 Kerngood Apr. 7, 19031,409,355 Austin Mar. 14, 1922 1,917,150 Perrine July 4, 1935 1,997,654Reiter Apr. 16, 1935 2,005,622 Hawie June 18, 1935 2,006,535 BroadwellJuly 2, 1935 FOREIGN PATENTS 516,212 Great Britain Dec. 27, 1939 571,828France Feb. 9, 1924 704,547 France Feb. 23, 1931

